[Feb. 26-29, Singapore]
The Vice President of CanCham Macao, Lorne Schmidt, was invited by Global Affairs Canada to attend the Canada in Asia Conference in Singapore in February. The conference focus was hosted by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF). This is the second year that APF has hosted a conference of this nature. Last year’s event was a general conference with representatives from industry and universities. It was determined that this year, the conference focus would be on targeted industries: Agri-Food (Feb. 26-27) and Climate Solutions (Feb. 28-29). This conference brought together “experts, investors, policy-makers, researchers, business leaders, and innovators from across Asia and Canada to exchange perspectives, knowledge, and ideas and to create collaborative partnerships in these two critical sectors”. More details can be accessed via the conference website: https://www.canada-in-asia.ca/.
Within the conference was a face-to-face dialogue, hosted by Global Affairs Canada for over 20 Canadian Chambers to discuss opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region. The meeting was led by Sara Wilshaw, Canada’s Chief Trade Commissioner, and Paul Thoppil, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Trade Representative Global Affairs Canada. This is the first time such an initiative has been undertaken, providing for discussion and strategic collaboration on expanded business opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region. |  |
 | The event included a special virtual appearance by Mary Ng (Canadian Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade, and Economic Development) who highlighted Canada’s commitment to deepen engagement across the region. Minister Ng reiterated Canada’s dedication to fostering strong, sustainable, and inclusive growth for businesses on both sides of the Pacific, especially in areas such as clean technology, minerals, and agricultural technology and products. Priority areas for investors include reliable supply chains, sustainable economies, and innovative solutions for current and future challenges. |
The meeting was attended by several regional Canadian Trade Commissioners and almost 20 Chambers from the region including Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China & Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore. This collaborative initiative provided Canadian Chambers the opportunity to share challenges and opportunities within each country. The result of the meeting was a shared commitment to facilitating market access and business expansion opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region.
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The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore hosted a dinner for the CanCham reps and Trade Commissioners in attendance at the meeting earlier in the day. This event provided an opportunity for continued networking, collaboration, and fostering stronger ties among the binational Canadian Chambers of Commerce across the Indo-Pacific region.
Hosted by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore President Randall Quinn and Executive Director Dorys Fierro, the event highlighted the chamber’s commitment to facilitating dialogue and partnership in alignment with the broader goals of the Indo-Pacific Strategy. By bringing together chambers from various countries, the dinner provided an invaluable opportunity for participants to exchange insights, explore potential collaboration, and forge new connections.
More details can be accessed via the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Singapore website: